Okay, so maybe not LAZY, but I'm just so tired. Why didn't anyone warn us as kids that adulting would be so tiring. We have to know so many things. And then we have kids and constantly question whether we're doing it properly. And now in 2016 everywhere you look there's TOXIC this and TOXIC that. It's scary! So, I did the whole thing and played along and got bored. Real quick.

Back to the good ol' store purchased toxic-ide to wash my children's clothes in toxic death. Well, maybe that's a tad bit dramatic.

I don't know how much of any of the whole toxic nation stuff you can believe out there, but there's one thing I know: homemade is cheap. Among many, many other reasons I decided I'm going to go back and start making our own detergent again. Except, this time I'm not digging out a recipe. I'll do the good ol' a-little-of-this-and-a-little-of-that method. Why not?

Basically, you can just simply wash you clothes in a touch of Bonner's soap, so I can't really screw this up. Right?

So, let's keep things simple. #1) Fels Naptha soap is a pain. Almost all recipes include it. Guess what? I left it out and haven't missed it. I see absolutely no difference. #2 I can't stand the soap to get clumpy. It stops up my front loader and makes a mess. #3 The K.I.S.S. method tends to trump all (and no that wasn't a political pun.)

Could that be more simple? 1 cup of each, heat, stir into water. Stop over and visit my video on Youtube to see the simplicity of it all!

How about a little Q&A:

I don't like it so watery. Can I add less water? Yup! Absolutely. This can be any consistency you want. Thicker: less water: use less to wash.

Will my clothes be clean without the Fels Naptha?My husband rebuilds cars for a living- body work, mechanics, you name it. He comes in with some funky clothes. This detergent works on it all! I see no need to add it. However, if you need a spot treatment, the Fels Naptha is great to have on hand. Just use the bar to rub on the spot before washing.

Can I add scents or essential oils? I don't see why not. We don't because A) We have sensitive skin. B) essential oils are expensive. I feel like you get more bang for your buck by using them on your skin.

A friend of mine says, "using borax on a regular basis as a detergent corrodes the machine and does quite a bit of damage to it chemically (non visible components - opposite drum side, drive components, ect). That corrosion can then end up as particulates in the clothing." I'm definitely no expert! This is only what me and my family uses. Always use your best judgment or ask a professional. Also, you could just leave the BORAX out. It's only an extra cleanser that probably isn't necessary. The washing powder is a great deodorizer and the Castile soap is a fantastic cleanser!

More questions? E-mail me at shoestringamy@gmail.com or leave it in the comments.

Peace, love, and clean clothes...

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About Me:

Shoestring Amy is a free-spirited momma. With a family of five comes an active lifestyle full of energy. Amy strives for a lifetime of fun, laughter, and memories. Rather than smothering in debt, working for "things," and walking the same ol' line of misery created by a dead end job, she creates much larger goals. ​CONTINUE READING....